Mirumoto Hojatsu
Mirumoto Hojatsu was the adopted son of the Dragon Clan Thunder Mirumoto. Way of the Dragon p. 10 His Father's Legacy After Mirumoto's death, his natural son Mirumoto Yojiro willingly ceded control of the family to Hojatsu, who he believed was the proper successor to Mirumoto's legacy. Great Clans, p. 87 Hojatsu decreed that the foundation set down by his father would not go to waste. Construction was restarted on what would become the Iron Mountain Dojo. Hojatsu would also not live to see the completion of the dojo, but spent his final years in the nearly finished dojo detailing his father's niten style. Way of the Samurai, pp. 31-32 Hojatsu taught the fighting style to his daughter, Mirumoto Ujaniko, who was his only child. Hojatsu arranged for Ujaniko to marry his most promising student, Mirumoto Kijome, and the couple continue the Mirumoto family line out of respect for Hojatsu. Way of the Dragon, p. 26 Famous Duels Ujimona Ujimona was a duelist who was defeated by Hojatsu. Following his victory, Hojatsu stated that Ujimona had been the better swordsman, that his skill and techniques had been superior. When asked by his son-in-law Mirumoto Kijome how that could be, when Hojatsu had just beaten the man, Hojatsu said it was because he had known he would win, but Ujimona had not. This became a prime example of the final paragraph of Niten. Way of the Dragon, p. 30 Kakita Hojatsu and Kakita met twice to duel. The first time was on the Emperor's 40th birthday. They were asked to duel by the Emperor himself in order to prove which man's style was the greatest. Way of the Crane, p. 12 The two looked into each others eyes, but neither drew their blades and both walked away understanding that a duel would kill them both. Over the years after that the two grew to respect each other, reading the other person's texts on kenjutsu. They decided to meet for a duel one last time, on Kakita's thirty ninth birthday. This time they both struck, Hojatsu was killed and Kakita was mortally wounded. Kakita took up Hojatsu's sword and fell upon it. A monument was raised where the two fell, in the Valley of the Two Generals. The year of their deaths was the year 46 of the Isawa Calendar. Imperial Histories, p. 18 Kijome became daimyo after Hojatsu's death. Great Clans, p. 88 Burial When the Iron Mountain Dojo was finished Hojatsu was buried at the head of the main class room, under a shrine to Mirumoto, Shinsei and Togashi. On either side of the shrine there are scrolls with the words "Neither Will I" written, and since the funeral walk for Hojatsu the path leading up to the dojo has been known as the Son's Last Walk. Legacies The sword wielded in life by Hojatsu, known simply as Hojatsu's Blade, was considered a blade of honor and tradition between the Dragon. Hojatsu's Blade (Scorpion Clan Coup, Scroll 2 flavor) His Wakizashi who was first wielded by his father, Mirumoto's Wakizashi, Prayers and Treasures, p. 132 rested unused in Hojatsu's shrine. Prayers and Treasures, p. 127 Hojatsu would always carry his Battle Standard into battle, except for the day he fell. The standard was believed to never have known defeat. Hojatsu's Standard (Promotional flavor) See also * Mirumoto Hojatsu/Meta External Links * Mirumoto Hojatsu (Dawn of the Empire) Category:Dragon Clan Leaders